5 New North East Eateries 2015

#5 – Papadoms (Sunderland)

Popadoms is one of the latest Indian restaurants to grace the streets of Sunderland, but you better believe they stand apart.

The idea for this restaurant was conceived from a road trip to India, which involved many road side restaurants known as Dhabas. The restaurant’s menu offers Indian tapas style dishes, much like those found at Dhabas.

The colourful & thought out surroundings, combined with a menu designed for sharing makes for an ideal group night out.

#4 – Buddha Lounge (Tynemouth)

The Buddha Lounge in Tynemouth is brand new to 2015 and has already made waves in the area, with Sam Smith even paying a visit in October!

They offer an Asian Fusion tapas style menu, serving Chinese, Thai and Japanese inspired dishes and cocktails! From Sushi to Chow Mein there is a great deal of choice and I can testify to the quality of the food.

However the surroundings and atmosphere of the restaurant play as big a part in making this place one to remember as anything else. Check out our full review of the Buddha Lounge here.

#3 – Big Apple Hotdogs (Chillingham Road, Newcastle)

There isn’t really the world to say about this one. If you love a good hot dog then you NEED to check this place out. It’s more or less a café with no seating area, but these guys really know how to make a killer hot dog.

They currently offer a meal deal including any dog, side and can of pop for £6 which is pretty reasonable given the quality.

#2 – Time Banhmi (Clayton St, Newcastle)

We’ve had Thai, Chinese and Japanese, but this new sandwich store in Newcastle is serving up the flavours of Vietnam with the country’s iconic dish Bánh mì.

Bánh mìs are exploding with the falours of Vietnam and in some areas even have an almost cult like fan base!

They are made with a small crispy baguette (Introduced to the country during French colonialism) and filled with different combinations, the most popular ingredients including:

If you’re passing through the Toon you should swing by and pick up one of these flavour sensations, which make other sarnies in the area seem majorly bland in comparison.

#1 – River Beat (Gateshead)

So given 2015 is clearly the year of Tapas, here is one of newest latest restaurants, River Beat, who are serving up a Thai Tapas menu.

The restaurant is located on the Gateshead side of the Tyne, next to the Swing Bridge in the old River Police Station. The location alone is reason enough to visit here, with a fantastic view of the iconic Newcastle Quayside.

Their menu boasts a selection of Thai dishes, allowing you to choose multiple dishes so you can enjoy a range of different flavours (Which is what Thai food’s all about!). As I’ve already made clear in other posts, Tapas is my favourite way to dine, instead of potentially being stuck with one big let-down.

Even though it’s only just opened its doors, the fantastic reviews speak for themselves for this place: